Integrated helmet and mask structure

ABSTRACT

For flying personnel there is provided a hard shell helmet suitably padded and held out of close contact with the head. An integrated visor assembly has an articulated attachment to the helmet movable between an operative position over the wearer&#39;&#39;s face and a lifted position extending over the top of the helmet removed from the face. Compound leverage elements making up the attachment determine a path of movement for the visor assembly such that it travels an irregular path allowing it to first lift clear of contact with the face and then travel upwardly to its lifted position. An inflatable seal extends around the perimeter of the visor assembly, the seal being inflated with air from the oxygen supply for the breathing mask when in operation over the face of the wearer and being collapsed when deflated providing additional clearance for ease of removal from the face and for storage in its lifted position.

United States Patent 191 Ansite et al.

[ Oct. 7, 1975 INTEGRATED HELMET AND MASK STRUCTURE [73] Assignee:Sierra Engineering Co., Sierra Madre, Calif.

22 Filed: Mar. 11, 1974 [211 Appl. No.: 449,777

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 255,838, May 22,1972, Pat. No.

[52] US. Cl 128/142; 128/142.7 [51] Int. Cl. A6213 7/00 [58] Field ofSearch..... 128/141, 142, 146.7, 142.3, 128/142.7, 142.2, 142.5; 2/6

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS France United Kingdom PrimaryExaminer-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant Examiner-Lee S. Cohen [5 7]ABSTRACT For flying personnel there is provided a hard shell helmetsuitably padded and held out of close contact with the head. Anintegrated visor assembly has an articulated attachment to the helmetmovable between an operative position over the wearers face and a liftedposition extending over the top of the helmet removed from the face.Compound leverage elements making up the attachment determine a path ofmovement for the visor assembly such that it travels an irregular pathallowing it to first lift clear of contact with the face and then travelupwardly to its lifted position. An inflatable seal extends around theperimeter of the visor assembly, the seal being inflated with air fromthe oxygen supply for the breathing mask when in operation over the faceof the wearer and being collapsed when deflated providing additionalclearance for ease of removal from the face and for storage in itslifted position.

7 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct. 7,1975 shw 1 of5 3,910,269

w a m a y M /II 5 7 r w t r m w 0 US. Patent US. Patent 0a. 7,1975 Sheet3 of5 3,910,269

Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 4 of 5 3,910,269

US, Pamnt U.S. Patesnt Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 5 of5 3 910369 mi w INTEGRATEDHELMET AND MASK STRUCTURE This is adivision of application Ser. No.255,838, filed'May 22, 1972.

As aircraft capabilities continuously involve in creased speeds, demandsupon the men who fly them experience a change which, in part, addsgreatly to the mentaland physical stresses experienced. Physicaldiscomforts are variable in nature and additive. Movement within thecockpit is confined and restricted. Added to this is the weight andrestrictiveness of equipment worn by the pilot and crew and the heatgenerated within his personal flight safety equipment which, over longperiods of flight duty, create extensive discomfort. Personal flightequipment can be said to comprise chiefly ofa flight protection helmetequipped with oxygen mask, head-set or ear phones and a smokeprotectivevisor.

Respecting currently available personal equipment, a complaint andconsequently a defect in addition to being too hot, too heavy,excessively cumbersome and too restrictive, is that the equipment hastoo many nonintegrated components. Whatever remedy may be offered,however, the protection must still include protection against headinjury as a result of buffeting or turbulence upon ejection, cabin orcockpit decompression, eitherexplosive or otherwise, and eye protectionfrom the smoke of cabin or cockpit tires as well from spalling.

It is therefore among the objects of the invention to provide a new andimproved helmet and mask integrated structure wherein the mask andcommunication equipment are so connected to the helmet itself to presenta more integrated combination which, at the same time, is cool andcomfortable when worn.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved helmetand mask integrated structure which is low in profile despite the needfor a leverage or related mechanism to permit the mask assembly to beremoved from the face.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedhelmet and mask integrated structure provided with an inflatable sealbetween the mask assembly and the face of the wearer which can, whendesired, be inflated automatically by oxygen pressure normally suppliedto the mask and which provides for sufficient mask clearance of the faceduring donning.

Still further among the objects of the invention is to provide a maskassembly including an inflatable seal which is of such design andconstruction that it can be readily fitted to faces of different shapeand size without need for changing the shape and size of the maskassembly and associated helmet shell.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of thedevice, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, hereinafter setforth, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one form of the helmet and maskintegrated structure shown in operating position on the head of awearer. 7

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the structure of FIG. I.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on the circular line3 of FIG. 2 with the seal inflated.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 3 but with theseal deflated.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. I but with the visorassembly lifted into inoperative position.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on the line 6-6 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view on the line 77 ofFIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of a second form of the inventionshown in position on the head of a wearer.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the same form of the device as inFIG. 8 but with the visor assembly lifted into inoperative position.

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of another form of the device shownin operative position.

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the device of FIG. 10 but with thevisor assembly lifted into inoperative position.

FIG. 12 is a front perspective view of a modified form of the inventionas shown in operative position on the head of a wearer.

FIG. 13 is a front perspective view similar to FIG. 12 but with thevisor assembly lifted into inoperative position.

In an embodimentpf the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration,there is shown a hard helmet shell 10 equipped with a visor assemblyindicated generally by the reference character 11 shown mounted on thehead 12 of a wearer with the visor assembly in operative positionapplied to the wearers face 13. A visor cover 14 is fixed in position atthe crown of the helmet shell and provides a pocket 15. Extendingthrough the helmet shell is a series of .ventillating perforations l6,and perforations 17 in the visor cover assist the perforations 16 whichopen into the pocket 15. Perforations serve two functions; to providefor ventilation; to reduce weight, yet still provide protection. A shockor energy absorbing liner 18 extends around the entire inner surface ofthe helmet shell, the liner being of some appropriate foam cushion.

For supporting the helmet shell and perforce the he]- met and maskintegrated structure on the crown of the head 12, there is providedasling 20 extending fore and aft and to which are applied a foreheadcross-web 21, a crown cross web 22, a rear cross-web 23 and a napecross-web 24 attached to the sling at the junctions shown. The sling andcross-webs are provided with elastomer pads 25, 26, 27 and 28 ofappreciable depth sufficient to support the helmet shell in a positionremoved from contact with the head of the wearer providing a space fromwhich heat, from the wearers head can pass outwardly through theperforations 16. A chin strap 29 serves to hold the sling and cross-websin position, the chin strap and the cross-webs being all attached to alateral webbing 30 surrounding the wearers ears.

It will be understood that the lining of the helmet shell normally isspaced clear of the head of the wearer and that this spacing may vary tosome extent depending upon the shape of the wearers head and the heightof the elastomer pads. The pads, moreover, are yieldable and the slingand cross-webs are likewise yieldable so that should there be an impacton the helmet shell sufficient to compress the pads at one location oranother, the wearers head will strike the liner. The liner is of acharacter capable of absorbing the impact and the energy is dissipated,thereby protecting the head of the wearer.

It should be noted that the attachment of the ear cups to the helmet isflexible to allow lateral spreading to clear the ears for rapid donning.These flexible attachments facilitate folding ear cups into the insideof helmet shell for minimum storage volume.

The visor assembly 11 in this embodiment consists of two parts, namely,an eye area shell section 31 at a location surrounding the eyes of thewearer and an oralnasal area shell section 32 which is the portionusually identified as a breathing mask and upon which is mounted aregulator 33 capable of accommodating appropriate valving (not shown)for an air or oxygen line 34 and a microphone (not shown) supplied by amicrophone line 35.

In this embodiment there is also provided a compensated exhalation valve36 and a relief valve 37 of substantially conventional construction.

For sealing the perimeter of the visor assembly to the face 13 of thewearer, use is made of a seal indicated generally by the referencecharacter 40 which in the chosen embodiment is a hollow tube, asindicated in FIGS. 3 and 4. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the tube extendsaround the lower and side edges of the oral-nasal area shell section 32,the side edges of the eye area shell section 31 and across the upper orforehead portion of the eye area shell section 31 at a location slightlyremoved from an upper edge 41. To the extent described, the seal iscontinuous and endless. In addition, there is a transverse section 42 ofthe seal which extends across the eye area shell section near the line43 of junction between the eye area shell section and the oral-nasalarea shell section. As shown in FIG. 2, thetransverse section 42 isactually attached to a web 44 which lies inside of the eye area shellsection 31. The transverse section, moreover, is in communication withthe seal 40 at the point ofjunction.

For inflating the seal, use is made of an air line 45, shown in FIG. 1,which extends from an air switch 46 supplied in turn from the maskregulator 33.

In the air or oxygen line 34 is interposed an air valve 47 on which isan actuator button 48 which normally tends to move to a shutoffposition. As shown in FIG. 1, the actuator button is moved to an onposition by engagement therewith of a portion of a composite arm 50. Amicrophone switching arrangement also might be incorporated to switchoff an external microphone (boom microphone) and switch on themicrophone inside the mask.

As shown in FIG. 7 in company with FIG. 1, the composite arm consists ofa plunger 51, an outer end of which is attached to a bracket 52 which,in turn, has a pivotal attachment 53 to the side of the oral-nasal areashell section 32.

A telescoping sleeve 54 forms a connection between the plunger 51 and ahollow cylinder 55. The cylinder is in turn attached by means of a screw56 to a bracket 57, the bracket being part of an arm 58 which has apivotal attachment 59 to the helmet shell 10.

As shown in FIG. 7, a spring 60 has one end 61 secured by a springkeeper 62 to the plunger 51 and has its other end 63 secured to a keeper64 which is anchored to the bracket 57. The spring under tension isbiased to draw the visor assembly in a direction from left to right asviewed in FIG. 1 so that the seal 40 is drawn into engagement with theface 13 of the wearer.

To assist in shifting the visor assembly 11 from the operative positionshown in FIG. 1 to the withdrawn position of FIG. 5, use is made of aslot 65 in the visor cover 14 within which travels the shank 66 of aknob 67, the shank 66 being riveted at 68 to an adjacent edge 69 of theeye area shell section 31.

Although only one side of the visor assembly is shown in FIG. 1, it willbe understood that the other side is identical except for being aright-hand side counterpart of the composite arm 50 and the slot 65containing the shank 66. Connected as described, the visor assembly andhelmet shell are an integrated structure in that, except for the upwardand downward motion about the pivot joints, the visor assembly is firmlyheld in a fixed relationship with respect to the helmet shell.

When the visor assembly is to be moved from the operative position ofFIG. 1 to the elevated position of FIG. 5, the mask regulator,protruding as it does, can be made use of in a sense as a handle whenthe visor assembly is lifted upwardly or counter clockwise as viewed inFIG. 5.

When this occurs, the arm 58 is moved from its position of engagementwith the actuator button 48 and the air valve 47 then closes off the airline 34 so that no air flows either to the mask regulator 33 or to theseal 40 through the air line 45.

When this circumstance prevails, the seal 40 will collapse to theposition shown in FIG. 4 by reason of the fact that the seal initiallyis given the collapsed form of FIG. 4 when molded. Collapsing asdescribed, a sealing face 70 has a seal 40, which is the portion of theseal which actually engages the skin on the face 13 and draws away fromthe skin an appreciable distance, namely, about half the inflated heightof the seal as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. This providesjade quate clearanceso that when the mask assembly is lifted progressively from the positionof FIG. 1 to the position of FIG. 5, there will be no resistance to itslifting. Additionally, when the mask assembly is elevated, the compositearm 50 then in an over-center position functions to pull the visorassembly toward the visor cover 14 until the eye area shell section isdrawn into the pocket 15.

Conversely when the mask assembly is to be lowered into operatingposition, the mask regulator 33 and visor assembly is swung downwardlyor counter-clockwise as viewed in FIG. 5, initially extending the spring60 as it swings, until the positions of FIG. 1 are then accomplished. Atthis point the arm 58 engages the actuator button 48 thereby to admitautomatically air from the air or oxygen line 34 to the mask regulator33 and thence into the mask. At the same time, air under pressure passesthrough the air switch 46 and air line 45 into the seal 40 causing it tobe inflated to the position of FIG. 3. In this position the sealing face70 will be drawn gently into engagement with the face of the wearerthereby sealing all of that portion of the visor assembly which isdefined by the perimeter of the seal as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5.

In the form of invention of FIGS. 8 and 9, there is substituted for thecomposite arm 50 a compound lever assembly consisting of a lever arm andlever arm 76. The lever arm 75 has a bent end section 77 extending atright angle to the lever arm, the end section 77 having a pivotconnection 78 to the edge of the oral-nasal area shell section 32.

The lever arm 76 has a pivot connection 79 to an ear receptacle 80 whichis'an integral part of the helmet shell 10. An extension 81 of the leverarm 76 protrudes below the ear receptacle and there is a pivotconnection 82 between the lever arm 75 and the lever arm 76 at alocation not far removed from the pivot connection 79. An actuatorbutton 83 on an air valve 84 serves to automatically open the air valvewhen the extension 81 is in the position shown in FIG. 8 thereby toinflate the seal 40 while the visor assembly is in a position againstthe face 13 of the wearer.

Conversely when the visor assembly is lifted to the position of FIG. 9,the extension 81 moves out of engagement with the actuator button 83thereby permitting the air valve to close and cut off the air supplywhereupon the seal 40 collapses in the manner previously described. inthis form of invention, an air line 85 extends from the air valve 84 toa side portion ofthe seal 40 as shown in FIG. 8.

When the visor assembly is in the operating position of FIG. 8 and thewearer wishes to press it more snugly against his face, the extension 81can be employed to help tighten the seal by pushing rearwardly againstthe extension. When it has been pushed far enough, a locking button 86,of substantially conventional construction, can be turned to tightenengagement of a corner tab 87 of the eye area shell section 31 to thevisor cover 14 which is immediately adjacent the end of the slot 65.

When the visor assembly is to be lifted clear of the face the lockingbutton 86 is loosened. The visor assembly can then be lifted to theposition of FIG. 9. Meanwhile the locking button and its attached shank88 move to the opposite end of the slot 65 and there again can betightened so as to be capable of holding the visor assembly in-theelevated position until it is to be released.

Additionally, this engagement of the extension 81 from the actuatorbutton 83 causes the air valve 84 to shut off the supply of air and theseal 40 thereupon will collapse.

In the form of invention of FIGS. and 11, the visor cover 14' is cutaway at 90 and the slot 65 dispensed with. A lever system of three leverarms is made use of for holding and guiding the visor assembly relativeto the helmet shell. The lever system consists of a lever arm 91 havinga bent section 92 at one end which by means of a pivot connection 93 isattached to a corner 94 of a transparent visor 95. A lever arm 96 has apivot conection 97 to an ear receptacle 98 which is an integral part ofthe helmet shell 10. A pivot connection 99 interconnects the lever arm91 with the lever arm 96.

Another lever arm 100 has a pivot connection 101 at one end to the visor95 about midway between the top and the bottom. At the other end of thelever arm is a pivot connection 102 which connects the lever arm 100 tothe lever arm 96 at a location farther away from the pivot connection 97than the pivot connection 99 previously described. An extension 103 ofthe lever arm 96 protrudes to a position below the ear receptacle 98.

An actuator button 104 on an air valve 105 serves a function similar tothe previously described actuator button 83 in that in the lowered oroperative position of FIG. 10, the actuator button 104 is tripped by thelever arm 100 and causes the air valve to open thereby to inflate a seal40. When the visor assembly is lifted to the position of FIG. 11, thelever arm 100 is moved free of the actuator button 104 causing it toshut off the supply of air whereupon to collapse the seal 40'.

In this form of the invention the visor is substantially a single piecetransparent visorwhich covers the surface of the wearers face 13 bothabove and around the eyes and around and below the nose and mouth. Inthis way a single perimetrical seal 40' extending around the edge of thevisor 95 forms a seal between the visor and the face of the wearer. Anair line 106 communicates between the air valve and the seal 40' so thatair from an air or oxygen line 34' can be made to supply both airpressure for the seal 40 and air to the mask regulator 33 whichcommunicates with the area beneath the visor 95 in a substantiallyconventional manner.

A somewhat different form of helmet and mask integrated structure isshown in FIGS. 12 and 13. There a visor cover 110 mounted on a helmetshell 111 is provided with a pair of forwardly extending extensions 112in each of which is a track 113. A shoe 114 on either side of an eyearea shell section 115 is curved to match the curvature of the track 113and is adapted to slide with respect to the track as the eye area shellsection is moved upwardly from the position in FIG. 12 to the positionof FIG. 13. A mask section 116 adapted to extend around the nose andmouth of the wearer is integrally attached to the eye area shell sectionalong the line 117.

A seal 40 of the same general character as the seals 40 and 40heretofore described, extends around the perimeter of the eye area shellsection 115 and the mask section 116, the seal being supplied with airthrough an air line 118 fed from a m'ask'regulator 119. The maskregulator is in turn supplied by anjair line 120. i

To additionally hold and guide the'ieye area shel l'section and hencewhat constitutes a mask assembly,'there is provided a pair of lift arms121, one on each side, one only being shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. The liftarm 121 is pivoted beneath a pivot connection 122, the pivot connectionbeing mounted upon and anchored to an ear receptacle 123.

The ear receptacle 123 is made to act substantially integrally with thehelmet shell 110 by employment of a rear strap 124 and an upper strap125. The straps may be either a synthetic plastic resin material or aspring metal material which by flexing in the direction of the flatareas permits the ear receptacles to be easily moved upwardly away fromthe head and ears of the wearer when the helmet is to be donned andwhich, upon release, will cause the ear receptacles to be sprunginwardly into contact with the area around the ears of the wearer byvirtue of the return acting spring effect of the straps 124 and 125. Achin strap 126 helps hold the assembly in place.

Here, again, except for the movement up and down of the visor and maskcombination relative to the helmet shell, the helmet shell and the visorand mask combination have only very limited movement in any otherdirection thereby making them a substantially integrated structure,which fits under the visor cover 110 when elevated to the position ofFIG. 13, and which snugly seals around the face of the wearer in theposition of FIG. 12.

While the invention has herein been shown and described in what isconceived to be a practical and effective embodiment, it is recognizedthat departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention,which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to beaccorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and allequivalent devices.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support ofLetters Patent is:

1. An integrated helmet and mask structure for the head and face of awearer, said structure comprising a hard helmet shell, a visor assemblyincluding a mask shell and having an articulated attachment on each sideto the helmet shell and valve means on the mask shell including a supplyof breathing gas for directing such gas to the mask structure, said maskshell having an inner surface adapted to face the face of the wearer,means for moving the mask shell toward and away from a position adjacentthe face of a wearer, a hollow sealing tube extending around the edge ofthe mask shell on the side thereof facing the face, said sealing tubehaving a fixed sealed attachment to said mask shell, a hose incommunication between the valve means and the sealing tube forintroducing breathing gas from the supply for the valve means into saidtube, said tube having a normally collapsed condition in a directionperpendicular with respect to the inner surface of the mask shell at alllocations of attachment, said sealing tube being withdrawn from theadjacent face of the wearer when not subject to gas under pressure andan inflated condition when subject to gas under pressure, the tube whenin inflated condition under pressure of gas from said gas supply beingadapted to have a sealing relationship with the face of the wearer.

2. An integrated helmet and mask structure as in claim 1 wherein saidvalve means is mounted on the helmet shell and includes a mask supplyline and a seal supply line, and a valve actuator in operativerelationship with theseal supply line.

3. An integrated helmet and mask structure as in claim 2 wherein saidvalve actuator has an open condition when out of engagement with aportion of said articulated attachment wherein there is an openconnection for gas under mask pressure to said sealing tube, said valveactuator having a closed condition when said articulated attachment isat a position of engagement with said valve actuator wherein there is aclosed connection shutting off gas under mask pressure to the sealingtube whereby the tube is deflated.

4. An integrated helmet and mask structure as in claim 1 wherein thesealing tube is an endless tube extending around the perimeter of saidmask shell.

5. An integrated helmet and mask structure as in claim 4 wherein thereis a transverse section of sealing tube extending across the interior ofsaid mask shell at a location intermediate an eye surrounding area andan oral-nasal surrounding area, and wherein said trans verse section isconnected to the sealing tube and subject to respectively inflated andcollapsed conditions when the remainder of the sealing tube is subjectto respectively inflated and collapsed conditions.

6. An integrated helmet and mask structure as in claim 5 wherein thereis a flexible web between said transverse section of the sealing tubeand said oralnasal surrounding area of the visor, said web compris ing aflexible attachment for the sealing tube to the visor.

7. An integrated helmet and mask structure in claim 1 wherein saidsealing tube has a long dimension substantially perpendicular to saidinner surface and a substantially short dimension at right anglesthereto, said sealing tube having a normally collapsed condition in thedirection of said long dimension to which it returns when not subject tointernal air pressure.

1. An integrated helmet and mask structure for the head and face of awearer, said structure comprising a hard helmet shell, a visor assemblyincluding a mask shell and having an articulated attachment on each sideto the helmet shell and valve means on the mask shell including a supplyof breathing gas for directing such gas to the mask structure, said maskshell having an inner surface adapted to face the face of the wearer,means for moving the mask shell toward and away from a position adjacentthe face of a wearer, a hollow sealing tube extending around the edge ofthe mask shell on the side thereof facing the face, said sealing tubehaving a fixed sealed attachment to said mask shell, a hose incommunication between the valve means and the sealing tube forintroducing breathing gas from the supply for the valve means into saidtube, said tube having a normally collapsed condition in a directionperpendicular with respect to the inner surface of the mask shell at alllocations of attachment, said sealing tube being withdrawn from theadjacent face of the wearer when not subject to gas under pressure andan inflated condition when subject to gas under pressure, the tube whenin inflated condition under pressure of gas from said gas supply beingadapted to have a sealing relationship with the face of the wearer. 2.An integrated helmet and mask structure as in claim 1 wherein said valvemeans is mounted on the helmet shell and includes a mask supply line anda seal supply line, and a valve actuator in operative relationship withthe seal supply line.
 3. An integrated helmet and mask structure as inclaim 2 wherein said valve actuator has an open condition when out ofengagement with a portion of said articulated attachment wherein thereis an open connection for gas under mask pressure to said sealing tube,said valve actuator having a closed condition when said articulatedattachment is at a position of engagement with said valve actuatorwherein there is a closed connection shutting off gas under maskpressure to the sealing tube whereby the tube is deflated.
 4. Anintegrated helmet and mask structure as in claim 1 wherein the sealingtube is an endless tube extending around the perimeter of said maskshell.
 5. An integrated helmet and mask structure as in claim 4 whereinthere is a transverse section of sealing tube extending across theinterior of said mask shell at a location intermediate an eyesurrounding area and an oral-nasal surrounding area, and wherein saidtransverse section is connected to the sealing tube and subject torespectively inflated and collapsed conditions when the remainder of thesealing tube is subject to respectively inflated and collapsedconditions.
 6. An integrated helmet and mask structure as in claim 5wherein there is a flexible web between said transverse section of thesealing tube and said oral-nasal surrounding area of the visor, said webcomprising a flexible attachment for the sealing tube to the visor. 7.An integrated helmet and mask structure as in claim 1 wherein saidsealing tube has a long dimension substantially perpendicular to saidinner surface and a substantially short dimension at right anglesthereto, said sealing tube having a normally collapsed condition in thedirection of said long dimension to which it returns when not subject tointernal air pressure.